


Tanzanite's Universe

by Malevore



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Beachapalooza, Crystal Gems, Gen, Peridot is a Crystal Gem, Stable Fusions
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-04
Updated: 2016-08-19
Packaged: 2018-07-19 23:44:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 10,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7382365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Malevore/pseuds/Malevore
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Crystal Gems go to investigate the Galaxy Warp while Steven waits for Peridot to reform.  When their investigation turns up nothing, Steven and the newly Reformed Peridot go to check it out.  What they find could drastically change the situation on Earth.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Peridot Reformed

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! This is my first work on Archive, and its a spin off of Steven Universe. This first chapter is an introduction to a story I came up with about a new Gem called Tanzanite. I will try to model this story as close to the show as close as possible. Any feedback is welcome and would be appreciated.

“Hey guys, where are you headed?” Steven asked Garnet and the other Crystal Gems.

“We’re going to the galaxy warp,” replied Garnet. “Pearl thought she saw something strange going on over there earlier, so we’re going to check it out.”

“Ooo!” Steven said with a twinkle in his eye. “Can I go with you guys?”

“I don’t think it’s a good idea. Could be dangerous,” Garnet said.

Steven looked down as a frown spread across his face.

“What Garnet means to say is that we don’t know who or what could be messing with the galaxy warp,” Pearl said. “For all we know it could be more Gems from Homeworld trying to break through again.”

“Don’t worry little man,” Amethyst said. “We’ll be back before you even know we’re gone.”

“Besides,” Garnet said. “Peridot could reform any minute. You wouldn’t wanna miss that now would you?” Garnet winked at Steven and he smile. The three Gems stepped up onto the warp pad and in a flash were gone.

Steven took Peridot’s Gem and went upstairs to his room to watch TV. A few minutes into his crying breakfast show, Steven noticed Peridot’s Gem was glowing. The Gem quickly rose into the air as a green light spread out to form Peridot’s silhouette. With a flash Peridot took form and smiled at Steven. She laughed as she looked at Steven and asked, “What do you think of my new form?”

Steven stared as he took in Peridot’s new appearance. Her hair was still the same as before, but she had replaced her visor with a cool pair of sunglasses. She wore a green tank top with a yellow star in the middle and dark green skin tight pants. Her boots came up to just below her knees and had a split horizontal design with a green background and a yellow star on top and a yellow background with a green tip on the bottom.

“Wow, Peridot!” Steven began. “You look just like a crystal Gem! And, I see you got a new pair of shades.”

Peridot laughed, “Yeah. I thought the glasses would help me blend in better with the people of this planet while still protecting my optical orbs.” Peridot looked in a mirror before remarking, “You know it’s funny, but I really thought I was gonna hate wear a star on my body, but it doesn’t look half bad.”

“I think you look great Peridot,” Steven said.

“Thank you,” came Peridot’s reply.

Just then there was a flash as the others warped back to the temple. Steven and Peridot walked down to greet them. “How was your trip?” Steven asked. “Did you find anything out?”

Pearl sighed. “No. Whatever it was its not there now.”

“This could be a problem,” Garnet said. “If other Gems are getting the Galaxy Warp to work again, there could already be someone here.”

“I doubt it,” replied Peridot. “The Galaxy Warp is completely busted. I would know. I tired fixing it like a million times.”

“I know I saw something out there,” Pearl said. “I had hoped it was nothing. It’s starting to look like it was.”

“I could go check it out if you want?” Peridot said. “I am a master technician after all.” Peridot stood tall with her head raised proudly. “If someone was using the Galaxy Warp I would be able to figure out how.”

Garnet looked down at Peridot. “Go ahead if you want. There’s nothing out there.” Garnet started to walk away followed by Amethyst.

“I’ll go with you, Peridot!” Steven said.

“Be careful,” Pearl warned. “I’m not sure I like you two going out there alone. There could still be something out there.”

Steven and Peridot walked to the Warp pad and flashed over to the Galaxy Warp. Peridot checked each of the warps mumbling about how badly damaged each one was. After a few minutes she concluded that no one could have used the Galaxy Warp. The two headed back to the Warp pad just as the Warp flashed with light. Steven and Peridot quickly hid behind one of the pillars and looked out to see who had just warped there.

Before their eyes, Steven and Peridot saw a tall figure walk off the pad. She had purple skin and long white hair. She had on a magenta top and an indigo skirt. Her violet eyes shifted around as she scanned the Galaxy Warp. Steven also noticed that she had a football shaped Gem with and octagonal facet on her forehead. A few seconds later, the strange woman stepped onto the Warp and teleported away.

“Oh my god!” Steven shouted. “We need to warn the Gems.” Steven and Peridot ran to the Warp and flashed back to the temple. “Garnet! Pear! Amethyst! Come quick! Peridot and I just saw another Gem!”

Amethyst walked out as she heard Steven’s shouting. “Yo, Steven,” she said. “What’s going on? Why are you shouting?”

“Is everything alright?” Pearl asked as she walked out to the main room.

“There was another Gem!” Steven yelled as Garnet joined the others. “At the Galaxy Warp! We saw her appear and then warp somewhere else.”

“She could be anywhere by now,” Garnet said as she clenched her fist. “We need to find her. Now! Everyone head out!”

The five walked to the temple’s warp pad and teleported to another warp. After checking a few locations, they finally reached the battlefield where so many Gems had been shattered thousands of years ago. There they saw the mysterious Gem surveying the landscape.

“You!” Garnet said. “Who are you? And what are you doing here?”

The unknown Gem turned and to face the others. She looked at them curiously as she cocked her head. “What a strange bunch. A Pearl, an Amethyst, and a Peridot. With a fusion and a, I’m sorry what is that?”

“I’m a human,” Steven said.

“A hu-man,” the purple gem said. “Fascinating.”

Garnet stepped towards the unknown Gem. “I asked who you were.”

The tall Gem looked down and focused on Garnet. “My name is Tanzanite. You should know that Yellow Diamond has sent one of her armies to back this colony.”

“Not on my watch,” Garnet said as she lunged at Tanzanite. Garnet summoned her gauntlets and punched at Tanzanite, who effortlessly evaded the attack. Garnet quickly turned and launched two more punches at the new Gem. Tanzanite easily dodged both attacks before countering. Her punches slammed Garnet hard in the stomach. Garnet fell back before regaining her footing. She leaped forward and threw a slurry of punches. Tanzanite evade most of the punched hurled her way and deflected the others. A well placed sweep knocked Garnet off her feet and she tumbled to the ground.

Amethyst summoned her whip as Pearl pulled out her spear. The two charged at Tanzanite who quickly turned around to face them. Amethyst reached Tanzanite first and slashed at her with her whip. The tall Gem dodge Amethyst’s attack just in time to block Pearl’s swing of the spear. Tanzanite pulled out a sword from her forehead and parried Pearl’s next three attacks. Amethyst swung the whip at Tanzanite again. Swing her sword, Tanzanite cut Amethyst’s whip in half. Pearl launched a new volley of attacks which Tanzanite deflected with her sword.

Garnet jumped back up to her feet and charged at Tanzanite’s back. Tanzanite saw this coming and jumped out of the way just as Amethyst and Garnet ran in from both sides. Garnet’s punch landed in Amethyst’s face. “Hey! Watch where you’re punching!” Amethyst whined at Garnet.”

“Sorry,” Garnet said as she spun around to attack Tanzanite again. Garnet’s punches were easily dodged once again. Amethyst regained her composure and drew out another whip. Tanzanite quickly jumped away from Garnet and delivered several precise blows to Pearl at close range before moving to slam into Amethyst. Tanzanite prepared to counter their next attacks. She easily blocked Pearl’s next slices. Just as Tanzanite drew back her sword to attack Pearl, Amethyst swung her whip and gripped the edge of the sword and pulled.

Tanzanite dropped the sword and Pearl moved in to the defenseless target. Pearl thrust her spear into Tanzanite’s stomach. A split second later, Tanzanite’s form fluttered before she popped in a flash of light. The Crystal Gems expected to see the Gemstone fall to the ground, but were shocked to instead see the forms of two Gems on their backs where Tanzanite had been standing.


	2. Fusion Explained

Steven and the others stared at the two Gems laying before them in shock. No one knew what to do. The two Gems shifted slightly on the floor. One was a tall, red Gem the other a stocky blue Gem slightly shorter than the other. The red Gem had a football shaped gemstone located on her forehead, while the blue Gem had a circular one with an octagonal facet on her navel. The red Gem had on a faded red shirt and dark crimson skin tight pants on. The blue had a cerulean bandeau that spread across her chest and upper arms and a mid-length navy blue skirt. Garnet stared the Gems down as she approached them with her gauntlets raised.

Suddenly, the blue Gem sprang to her feet to stand in between Garnet and the other Gem. “Don’t touch her!” she yelled as she held her left arm up. A blue shield sprouted around her arm, stopping Garnet in her tracks. All the onlookers except Peridot stood slack jawed, confusion plastered on their faces.

“Rose,” Pearl was the first one to break the silence. “That shield is just like hers.” Tears started to form in Pearl’s eyes.

The red Gem stood up. “I think there are some things that need to be explained,” she said. “We didn’t come here to attack you. Quite the opposite. We bring a warning. Yellow Diamond is planning on attacking Earth. But we may be able to help.”

“Why don’t you start with who you two are,” Garnet stated. “I’ve never seen Gems like either of you before.”

“I’m Rubellite,” the red Gem stated. “And this is Azurite.” Rubellite gestured to her partner.

Steven chuckled. “Those sound like the names of fusions.”

“They are,” Rubellite and Azurite said in unison. Everyone looked at the two Gems like they each had a third eye. “Let us explain.”

“We were made very differently than you all probably were,” Rubellite began. “We were manufactured in a lab on Homeworld. They reconstructed shattered Gems to create superweapons. Shards of different Gems were forged together to create new Gems. We were the only successful ‘experiments’ they ever synthesized.”

Garnet looked like she was going to be sick. “I can’t believe Homeworld is still experimenting with fusion. It’s disgusting!” she shouted as she clenched her fist. Garnet looked ready to punch something.

“These experiments aren’t like the ones from Earth,” Azurite said. “Both Rubellite and I have read over the history. The original experiments on Earth were primitive and imperfect. It took them thousands of years but they finally perfected the fusing process.”

“What do you mean?” Pearl asked. “I didn’t think Gems could ever be… well Gems after they were shattered. I always thought once a Gem was shattered that was it.”

“Usually it is,” said Rubellite. “To our knowledge, we are still the only two successful Gem fusion experiments. And it’s been just a little over a thousand years since we were created.”

Garnet was livid as she drew closer and got in Rubellite’s face. “Why are they still making these abominations? Don’t they know what horrible monstrosities they are making?”

Azurite stepped forward in front of Garnet. “We are not monsters. You have no idea what it was like on Homeworld being what we are. Every day we saw the disapproving looks of the other Gems, treating us like we were… like we…” Azurite burst into tears and fell into the fetal position on the ground.

“We’re not monsters,” Rubellite said softly. She sat down and wrapped her arms around Azurite before whispering something in her ear. Slowly, Azurite stopped crying and stood back up.

“I’m sorry,” Garnet said. “I didn’t realize.”

Rubillite looked directly into Garnet’s eyes. “Hey. It’s ok. You’re a fusion too aren’t you?” she said noticing the two Gems on Garnet’s hands. Garnet nodded. “Thought so. That explains your reaction. But believe me when I say we’re not like those other creatures. We spent decades believing we were monsters. Worthless. Devoid of self. But we learned so much because of it.”

“Guys, that’s so sad,” Steven said. “Why don’t we take them back to the temple? They can stay with us.”

Pearl spoke up. “Steven, I’m not so sure that’s a good idea. I mean we don’t eve-“

“No. Steven’s right,” Garnet said. “We have a lot to discuss.”

Garnet led the way back to the Warp pad. Everyone squished on to Warp as it flashed its blue light to send them back to the temple. “You two should rest,” Garnet said to Rubellite and Azurite. “It’s been a long day, and I’m sure it’s taken its toll on you two. We’ll talk more tomorrow.” With that, Garnet walked to the temple door, held out her hands as the temple door flashed and entered the temple. Amethyst and Pearl quickly followed.

Steven walked over to Rubellite and Azurite. “Are you guys like Garnet?” he asked.

“What do you mean?” Azurite asked as she chuckled.

“Well, you know,” Steven said. “She always stays as a fusion. I was wondering if you two usually stay fused as well.” Steven’s eyes lit up with genuine interest as he awaited their answer.

Rubellite smiled. “It depends. Sometimes we need Tanzanite. Sometimes we need the two of us. Fusion is so complex, as I’m sure you’re aware.”

“What do you mean?” asked Steven, confusion masking his face.

“When two Gems fuse,” Rubellite began, “their personalities meld together to create something greater than their two parts. Stability is the key to fusion. The less stable a fusion is, the less likely it is to last. Stability of a fusion can also be affected by how the Gems fuse. The less in sync the Gems are when they fuse, the less stable a fusion is. Have you ever seen a fusion with more than two arms? Or perhaps more than two eyes.”

Steven jumped up as he said, “Oh yeah. When Amethyst and Pearl fuse to make Opal, they have four arms. And Sugilite has five eyes.”

“Interesting,” Azurite said. “I’m surprised you’re friends are unable to stabilize their fusions after all the time they’ve had together.”

Steven was confused once again. “What do you mean? Except for Sugilite, the others all seem stable.”

Rubellite looked down at Steven with her lips pressed together, unsure of how to explain her point. She thought for a minute and exchanged glances with Azurite. “True stability is hard to attain,” Rubellite said. “How long can the other fusions hold their form? A couple hours? Maybe at best a couple days?” Steven nodded his head a bit perplexed. “Exactly. A truly stable fusion can hold its form for as long as possible.”

“So how do you make a fusion more stable?” Steven asked.

Azurite stood and gestured to the door. “Why don’t we head outside,” she said. “Rubellite and I can show you.” The three headed down to the beach. Azurite took in a deep breath as she looked out at the setting sun. “It helps if the fusing Gems are as peaceful as possible. The more excited you are the harder it is to synchronize with your partner.”

Rubellite and Azurite looked eyes for a few moments before they began to dance in tandem. Their limbs flowed in an almost mirrored dance, though if one were to look closely, they could see slight difference in the exact style. Rubellite and Azurite closed in on each other until they were face to face. They took each other’s hand and began to sway back and forth. Azurite stepped back and pulled Rubellite into her before swinging around and dipping her head. Rubellite stood back up and swung away. She then pulled Azurite in, who then picked her up and spun around in a circle. The two continued their dance for several more minutes until Azurite reached up, embraced Rubellite’s face, and held her close. The two Gems on their forehead and navel began to glow as Rubellite and Azurite were engulfed in light. The red and blue merged as one as the form grew taller.

With a flash Tanzanite stood in front of Steven. Rubellite’s prolate Gem stood out on her forehead while Tanzanite’s new magenta crop top revealed Azurite’s round Gem. She stood taller than she had before, and there were two loops in her hair that Steven hadn’t noticed before.

“Wow!” Steven said. “You’re really tall.” Steven looked up at Tanzanite with wonder in his eyes. Tanzanite chuckled as she blushed. “How come you’re so much taller than before?”

Tanzanite smile brightly. Slowly, she began to shrink until she was just a few inches taller than Garnet. “A stable fusion is able to more easily manipulate its form. I prefer to stay shorter while not fighting. While height can be useful in battle, being tall all the time can make it a bit difficult to interact with others.” Steven was happy with that answer, and Tanzanite was feeling a bit tired. “Why don’t we head back in?” she asked. “I think I need to turn in for the night. I’ll show you some more later.” With that the two headed back into the house.


	3. Master Technician

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have been reviewing how I want this story to go. And with the new episodes of Steven Universe being released, I may change a few things in the story. As they add more characters on the show, I will bring them into my story. This includes both Bismuth and possibly Jasper. I will also try to incorporate new powers into the story like Peridot's ability to manipulate metal. As always, comments are appreciated.

“Wake up!” A voice could be heard off in the distance. “Steven! Wake! Up!” Slowly, Steven opened his eyes. He felt his body being shook back and forth. He woke with a start. As he became aware of his surroundings, Steven saw Peridot’s face come into focus.

“Ahh!” Steven shouted. “Ugh, Peridot!” Steven drew out Peridot’s name. “Why’d ya wake me up?”

“Because, the fusions are talking. About the Galaxy Warp. It’s actually quite interesting. Turns out this… Tanzanite was able to reconfigure the warp remotely. Temporarily, at least.” Steven slowly wiggled out of bed and pulled on his clothes. Peridot grabbed Steven’s arm and started to pull him towards the stairs. “Come on.”

Steven heard Garnet talking to Tanzanite as Peridot dragged him into the kitchen. “Do you really think it could work?” Garnet asked. “I mean we don’t have the resources or the know how to construct something like this.” Garnet noticed Steven and blew him a kiss as he walked in.

Tanzanite seemed to be in thought for a few seconds. “Aha!” she exclaimed. “You said that the Homeworld ship crashed right? We could salvage parts to collect the materials I would need. And I have the plans for the warp in my head.”

“Nah. That won’t work,” Garnet said. “We already cleaned up that ship and tossed out the pieces.”

“What?!” Tanzanite said. “But why? There were so many useable resources on that ship.” Garnet shrugged.

“Wait,” Steven said. “What’s going on?” Steven looked back and forth at Garnet and Tanzanite as he waited for an explanation.

Tanzanite looked at Garnet and asked, “You want me to explain?” Garnet nodded. Tanzanite then turned to look down at Steven. “I have a plan to create a new Galaxy Warp. The new one will be programmed to only connect with warps that run on a specific frequency. Only one other such warp exists. If I can get the new warp working I can call my allies here.”

Steven looked confused for a moment. “But, why?” he asked.

Tanzanite looked at Steven as she messaged the back of her neck nervously. She looked over at Garnet who shook her head subtly. “It’s complicated,” Tanzanite sighed. “But I guess it doesn’t matter. I can’t make a new warp without the parts.” Tanzanite hung her head in disappointment as she walked out of the house.

“I feel bad,” Steven said. “I wish we could help her.”

“Why don’t we just go dig up the ship?” Peridot asked.

Steven’s eyes lit up as a smile spread across his face. “That’s it,” he said. Before she could ask what, Peridot was grabbed and yanked out the house. “Come on. I have an idea.”

 

* * *

 

“What are we doing here?” Peridot asked as she looked around the piles of trash scattered around what Steven called a dump, a fitting word to describe the cluttered heaps of putrid rot.

Steven turned to face Peridot and Tanzanite. “This is where we took the remains of the Homeworld ship. If we can find the parts for Tanzanite anywhere it’s here.”

“A very good idea, Steven,” Tanzanite said. She turned to look around the junkyard. “Now stand back.” Tanzanite winked at Steven as she stood tall and raised her head. A beam of light shot out of Tanzanite’s head and quickly enveloped the entire area in front of her. She slowly rotated her head and scanned the entire dump. “Neat trick huh? With my Gem I can scan an entire area.”

“That’s so cool!” Steven said as excitement filled his eyes.

“Come on,” Tanzanite said as she waved Steven and Peridot over. “It’s this way.” Steven and Peridot followed as Tanzanite led the way, easily navigating the junk piles. Tanzanite stopped every few turns to scan again, and within minutes the three stood in front of the remains of Peridot’s ship. “And there it is,” Tanzanite said.

Peridot looked at the scraps of green metal as she moved closer. “What are we looking for?” she asked.

Tanzanite spoke. “We’ll need to see what we can salvage from the computers. We need a processor to interface with the warp. Also, hopefully the power supply is salvageable. We also need an encryptor, a communication array, and a navigator.”

The three split up and searched the wrecked ship for the parts they would need. After a couple hours, Peridot called for the others to join her. “I’ve got good news and bad news. Good news: The processor and encryptor are fully functional. However, the communication array and navigator were both fried in the crash. But, I believe I can easily construct a new communicator. The navigator will be tricky. Without a copy of the star map, I can’t create a new one.”

“That’s alright. I think we can make it work,” Steven said to Peridot. “After all, you are a master technician, right Peridot.”

Peridot chuckled at Steven’s compliment. “Right you are Steven. Hahaha.”

Tanzanite looked down and coughed to get the other two’s attention. “I found the power supply. It was badly damaged, but I think we can get it working.”

Peridot stood on a scrap of metal. “No worries. The Master Technician can repair anything,” she chuckled, much to the amusement of Steven.

“Oh, Peridot,” Steven said. “Oh, right. I also got the power conduits you asked for, Tanzanite.” Steven dropped the conduits in front of Tanzanite, who quickly picked the up along with all the other pieces. “Wow, you’re really strong,” Steven said. “Probably as strong as Garnet.”

Tanzanite smiled at Steven’s comment. “Thank you, Steven. We should probably head back though. We still have one piece left to collect: a warp pad.”

The three headed out of the dump and back to the temple. As they approached the warp, Steven turned to Tanzanite and said, “You know, I’ve been thinking. The beach isn’t big enough or sturdy enough to build a new warp. Why don’t we move construction over to the barn? There is lots of space, and Peridot won’t have to teleport there and back every day.”

Tanzanite rocked her head from side to side and thought for a moment. “Very well, Steven. Let’s head to this barn you speak of.”

Steven warped everyone to the barn, where Tanzanite gently placed down all the items in her arms. Steven looked around the barn before returning to Peridot and Tanzanite. “Where’s Lapis,” he asked.

Peridot sighed. “Probably flying around the world again. She keeps going out to ‘explore the Earth’ as she puts it.”

“That’s good,” Steven said. “I’m glad she took my advice. I just wish I could have seen her.” Steven looked down a little disappointed.

“We still need to collect a warp,” Tanzanite said. “We need to go back to the Galaxy Warp. Only the warps there are strong enough for this project.” Tanzanite looked over at Peridot. “Do you happen to have any Robonoids? When I examined the Galaxy Warp, it looked like they were all broken.”

Peridot shook her head. “I think I can help,” Steven volunteered. “I can heal things.”

“Fascinating,” Tanzanite said. She looked as if she were thinking something over. “Anyway, let’s head to the Galaxy Warp and collect one of the broken warps.”

Everyone stepped on to the warp. After flashing over to the Galaxy Warp, Tanzanite walked over to one of the broken warps and forcibly broke the warp away from the Galaxy Warp. She walked back to the warp pad and they all headed back to the barn. Tanzanite dropped the pad on the ground and turned to Peridot. She reached up and pulled a device out of the Gem on her forehead. She handed it down to Peridot. “It’s the plans to the warp. I’ll leave this project in your hands. I know there is no better Gem to leave in charge of this, Master Technician.” Tanzanite winked down at Peridot, whose whole face began to blush.

“I-I… Duh,” Peridot stuttered before composing herself. “I am honored. I will build it perfectly. Just you wait. It will however take me some time,” she said as she looked over the plans. “I’ll need to fix the power supply and rewire the entire warp pad. Not to mention I’ll have to find a way to locate the coordinates of the other warp. It will probably take me a few weeks, but I definitely build this.”

“Good,” Tanzanite replied. “We should head home, Steven. It’s getting late.” Steven and Tanzanite walked back to the warp and poofed back to the temple. Steven yawned as he walked up to his bed. Tanzanite sat down on the floor and began to meditate. “Night, Steven,” she said.

“Night, Tanzanite. I’ll see you *yawn* tomorrow.” Within minutes Steven fell asleep.


	4. Shattered Souls

Steven was laying down and relaxing under the sun on the beach. Pearl was at the area training Connie. Garnet had set off that morning on some solo mission, and Amethyst was hanging out with Greg. Tanzanite approached Steven and leaned down to ask him, “Hey Steven, can I ask you a favor?”

Steven sat up and looked at Tanzanite kneeling next to him. “What kind of favor,” he asked suspiciously.

Tanzanite looked a little uncomfortable but continued. “I was wondering if you would take me into the temple. I understand if you can’t. The other Gems probably wouldn’t approve, but I feel something inside. A presence of some sort. It’s in pain.”

Steven looked a little worried, but he only thought for a second before saying. “Ok. I’ll let you in. Follow me.” The two walked inside the house and approached the temple door. “I want to enter the temple,” Steven said. The door split and opened to reveal the heart of the temple. “We need to be careful,” Steven said. “The temple is alive. Also, there are things here that should not be disturbed.”

“I know,” Tanzanite said. “I can feel them.” She closed her eyes for a second. “Aha. This way.” The two walked a while before Tanzanite said, “I can feel it getting stronger.” A few moments later and they arrived in the bubble room. “Oh dear. Oh… such pain and torment. There!” Tanzanite pointed at a bubble with a shattered Gem shard in it.

As she reached up to grab it Steven ran over to her and said, “Wait. We’re not supposed to mess with the bubbles. Amethyst, Pearl, and I popped one before and had to track down all the shards in it.”

Tanzanite smiled down at Steven. “It’s ok. I’ll be careful. But I have an idea, and I need you to trust me.”

“Ok,” Steven said. “I trust you.”

Tanzanite nodded as she reached up and grabbed the bubble. “Now remember when I told you that sometimes I need to be Tanzanite, but other times I need to be them?”

“Yeah…” Steven said.

“Well, right now I need Rubellite and Azurite.” Tanzanite flashed as her two constituents reformed and took her place. Rubellite was holding the bubble, which she held out to Steven.

“Take the bubble, Steven,” Rubellite said. Steven reached out and tenderly took the bubble in his hands. “Now both Azurite and I are going to walk back to in opposite directions. Steven I need you to go to the wall over there and face the center of the room.”

“What are you two going to do?” Steven asked.

“Rubellite and I can react to the Gem shard in that bubble,” Azurite said. “Once we are in position, we can scan the room to find the other shards of this Gem.”

“I don’t understand,” Steven said.

“You will,” Rubellite said. “Now, everyone move into position.”

All three moved in opposite directions until they made an equilateral triangle with their backs against the wall. A beam of light shot from both Rubellite and Azurite. The beams connected with the bubble and spread out to meet the other’s Gem. A massive triangle of light connected Steven, Rubellite, and Azurite. After a moment, the light faded and Rubellite and Azurite approached Steven.

“There,” Azurite said. “Steven wait here while Rubellite and I collect the other shards.”

Steven sat down and looked at the large Gem shard trapped inside the bubble. It was green and jagged. It didn’t look like the other Gem shards or corrupted Gems that Steven had seen so far. As Steven continued to stare at the shard he could almost feel it. He could almost hear its thoughts.

“Found them!” Rubeillite said. Steven snapped back into reality and looked up at the other Gems. They each held about five bubbles each. “Now we have to remove the shards.” Rubellite and Azurite carefully bubbled each of the green shards in the bubbles and pulled them out. Each shard easily phased through their bubble. Rubellite and Azurite released the other bubbles which floated back up to the ceiling.

“What are we doing with these shards?” Steven asked. His face was scrunched up in confusion.

“You said you had healing powers,” Azurite said. “We thought you could use them on this Gem. I could sense all the shards of a broken Gem screaming out for each other ever since I first arrived at the temple.”

Rubellite spoke up. “We collected all the shards. Thanks to your help we were able to triangulate all the shards location. Now, all we need to do is pop the bubbles. I can use my telekinesis on them and position them correctly. If you can quickly use our healing powers on the shards they should reform a proper Gem. You think you can do it, Steven.” Steven nodded. “Ok. Get ready. Azurite and I are about to pop the bubbles. One… two… three.”

Rubellite and Azurite quickly popped the bubbles. Rubellite quickly reached out and stopped the shards in midair. She pulled them together with her telekinesis.

“That’s so cool!” Steven said as stars filled his eyes.

“Focus, Steven!” Rubellite said. “Quick use your healing power.”

Steven licked his hand, reached out, and touched his palm to the shattered Gem. The Gem glowed as the cracks vanished and the Gem mended itself. “So what now? Wi-will it remember what happened to it before it was shattered?”

“We don’t know Steven,” Azurite said. “To be honest, we didn’t even know if this would work. But, it being such a long time since it shattered, the Gem probably won’t remember anything. Which is probably for the best. Being shattered hurts.” Azurite looked sad and Steven walked over to hug her. Azurite looked into Steven’s eyes and smiled. “Thanks,” she said.

“You’re welcome,” Steven said. He stepped back and Rubellite handed him the Gem. “How long do we wait?”

“I don’t know,” Rubellite said. “Could be a while. Usually, shards regenerate instantly, but a reconstructed Gem will probably take its time to properly regenerate. We should probably move it somewhere else,” she said as she looked around at all the fragile bubbles in the room. “Just in case.”

The three exited the temple and sat on the couch. Steven set the green Gem on the table. Excitement crept onto Steven’s face as he waited for the Gem to regenerate. However, as the minutes ticked by and two hours passed, Stevens excitement melted away. “Is it possible that it’s just dead and won’t ever regenerate,” he asked, concern written all over his face.

“It’s possible,” Rubellite said. “Truth is we were not sure that this was gonna work at all. We’re taking it one step at a time.”

Just then the Gem began to glow and rise into the air. Light expanded from the Gem as two arms and legs formed. A head appeared and soon after hair started to flow down. As the light grew, it flowed down from the Gem and covered the legs of the forming woman. With a burst, the Gem appeared. Her hair curled down to just below her ears and her bangs formed to just above her eyes. Her Gem was located on her neck and surrounded by what appeared to be a dark green choker. She wore a deep green, strapless dress that started at her chest and flowed halfway down her calf. “Who- who are you?” she asked.

“I’m Steven Universe,” Steven said. “Who are you?”

“My name is Jade.”


	5. The New Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steven tries to help Jade remember her life before she was shattered.

“It’s nice to meet you!” Steven said as he stretched out his hand to Jade.

“Nice… to… meet? You?” Jade responded confused. She looked down at Steven’s hand but had no idea what to do with it. “Where? Where am I?”

“You’re on Earth,” Steven replied as he lowered his hand.

“Ear-r-rth?” Jade said as she struggled to pronounce the word. “What is Earth?”

“Don’t you remember? Earth. It’s a planet where anything is possible. Don’t you remember coming here?” Stevens voice dropped and his face crinkled as he said, “Do you remember being shattered?”

Jades ears perked up. “Shattered? Shattered!” she screamed. Jade gripped the sides of her face and fell to her knees. “SHATTERED!”

“Woah, woah, woah! Easy there,” Steven said as he tried to console her.

As Steven approached Jade, she flinched back. “Don’t touch me!” she yelled.

Steven threw his hands up and took a step back. “It’s ok,” he said. “I’m not gonna hurt you. My friends here,” Steven said as he gestured to Azurite and Rubellite, “they helped find you shards. And I used my healing powers to fix you. We’re not gonna hurt you. Ok?”

“Why don’t we give you two some space,” Rubellite said as she got up and gestured to Azurite to follow.

“That’s a good idea, Rubell,” Azurite said as she followed Rubellite out of the room.

Steven looked over at Jade after the others had left. She looked scared, but seemed to have calmed down a little. “Are you ok?” Steven asked as he reached out to help Jade up.

Jade stared at Stevens hand for a few moments before slowly reaching out to grab his hand for support. “Ye-yes, St-Ste-ven,” she said.

“You remembered my name!” Steven said as his eyes lit up. He grabbed onto Jade’s hand and pulled her up. “Do you remember anything else?” Jade looked down with a saddened expression and shook her head. “That’s ok. I’m sure we can figure out what happened to you. Why don’t we go for a walk?”

“Ok,” Jade said. Steven held onto her hand and walked towards the front door. As they approached, Jade glanced at the portrait of Rose. “Who is that?”

“That’s my mom. Her name was Rose Quartz.”

“She was Gem?”

“Yeah!” Steven said. “Just like you.”

“Just… like me?” Jade paused for a second as she processed what Steven said. “Oh, Steven. I am Gem. From Homeworld. Fight for Rose.”

“Really?” Steven said amazed. Jaded nodded once. “That’s so cool. The Crystal Gems never told me about any of the other Gems from the war. Do- do you remember anything? From back then?”

“Uhh… no. Am sorry.” Jade shrugged her shoulders. “Wish I could help.”

“It’s ok,” Steven sighed. “Come on. I’ll show you around.”

Jade followed as Steven led her out of the house and onto the beach. Steven pointed to the sand. “This is called a beach. And that over there is the ocean. You can go swimming in the ocean. Or you can relax on the sand.” Steven led Jade around the beach and over towards the board walk. They stopped in front of The Big Donut and Steven pulled Jade inside. “This is The Big Donut. They sell donuts here.”

“Do-nuts?” Jade asked as she cocked her head.

“Yeah. They’re are the most delicious thing in the world. You should try one.” Steven turned to face Sadie and Lars. “Two donuts please.”

“Who’s your new friend,” Sadie asked as Lars pulled two donuts from behind the counter.

“Her name is Jade,” Steven said. “We found her shard in the temple and I healed her using my magic spit.

“I don’t know why I was expecting a normal answer,” Sadie said as she handed Steven the bag of donuts. Steven laughed as he took the donuts.

“See ya guys around,” Steven said as he exited with Jade.

“See ya!” Sadie said.

Steven led the way down the board walk as he pulled the donuts out of the bag. He handed one over to Jade. “Here. Try one.”

Jade reached out tentatively and grabbed the donut. She was amazed at how soft it was. She lifted the round pastry to her mouth and took a small bite. Her face lit up as a smile crept up her face. “Umm,” she said. “This donut is… good.”

“You like it?” Steven asked to which Jade nodded. “Good. Maybe later we can try some ice cream.” Jade looked puzzled but didn’t ask. “Come on. Let’s go to the arcade. I bet you’ll enjoy that.” Steven grabbed Jades hand and pulled her towards the arcade. “Here we can play all different sort of games.”

“Ooh,” Jade said. “What’s this game?”

“That one is called Meat Beat Mania.” After a second Steven pulled Jade away from the game. “Let’s try a different one. That one has… problems.” The two walked around for a few minutes before they reached a two player dancing game.

“Can I try this one?” Jade asked.

“Sure,” Steven said as he input a couple quarters on each side. The two started dancing following the directions on the screen. Steven noticed that Jade was doing very well and soon had a sizeable lead on him.

“This is fun,” Jade said. “Just like fusion.” At that moment Steven stopped moving and turned his head to look directly at Jade.

“You-you remember fusion?!” he shouted.

Jade stopped dancing as well and looked at Steven. Her eyes lit up with realization. “Yes. Yes, I do! I remember fusing long ago. It’s foggy. No details.”

Excited, Steven jumped up in the air. “That’s great. This is progress.”

Jade grabbed her head and moaned. “Steven. It hurts to think. Can we go back, now?” Steven nodded and led the way back to the temple. As the two walked into the house, the temples warp flashed and Connie stepped off with Pearl.

“Oh, you are making such great progress Connie. Soon you’ll be able to-” Pearl looked over at Jade and stopped mid-sentence. “Oh my. Jade. You’re… alive.”

Steven stepped up. “Rubellite, Azurite, and I found her shards in the bubble room and I was able to heal her.”

“You took them into the bubble room? Without us? Steven you should know better!”

“But-” Steven began.

“No. No buts,” Pearl said. “When Garnet gets here-”

Another flash and Garnet appeared in the room. She stepped down and peered over at Steven and Jade. “Jade. So, my vision was right. You are back. Steven. Good job.”

Pearl looked over at Garnet with her mouth wide open. “You knew?!”

“I suspected,” Garnet said. “I had a vision earlier of Steven taking Tanzanite into the temple. At first I was worried, but then I saw Steven healing Jade and decided not to interfere. And I was right. He was able to do it.”

“But he let a Gem whom we barely knew loose in the temple!” Pearl yelled.

Garnet thought for a second. “True,” she said. “But he did resurrect one of the lost Gems. I forgive him.”

“Wah?” Pearl said jaw almost touching the floor. “But Garnet.”

“No buts!” Garnet said as she walked into the temple.

Steven turned to face Jade. “Wait, if you were a Crystal Gem, how come you don’t have a star on your dress?” Jade shrugged.


	6. Beachapalooza

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When plans for Beachapalooza fall apart, Mr. Smiley enlists Steven's help.

“Hey, Steven. Can I try going on that thing?” Jade asked pointing at a roller coaster.

“Sure!” Steven said excitedly. “Let me go change and we can head over to Funland.”

Steven ran into the house to change out of his swimsuit. A few moments he walked out of the house in his normal jeans and t-shirt. He met with Jade on the beach and the two headed over to the boardwalk. When they finally reached Funland, the two noticed that the rides were shut off.

“Why aren’t they working, Steven?” Jade asked.

“Oh no!” Steven said disappointed. “It looks like they shut down the rides. I’m sorry Jade. I don’t think we’re gonna be able to ride a roller coaster today.”

Jade looked down and frowned. “It’s alright.”

“Steven!” someone shouted from inside Funland.

Steven looked around to see Mr. Smiley walking towards them. “What’s up Mr. Smiley? How come all the rides are closed?”

“I’m having a problem. Actually I could use your help. All the acts for Beachapalooza canceled this year. If I can’t find new acts, Mayor Dewey is gonna be really angry. Please, I need your help.”

“Sure thing,” Steven said. “I know lots of people who could perform for Beachapalooza.”

“Oh, can I dance for this Beachapalooza?” Jade asked.

“Sure,” Mr. Smiley said relieved.

“Come on,” Steven said. “I know who to ask.”

Steven and Jade left Funland and walked to one of the houses in the residential district. Steven knocked on the door. A moment later the door opened and a woman stepped out.

“Hey, Vidalia,” Steven said. “Is Sour Cream home?”

“Yeah,” Vidalia sighed. “Sour Cream!”

Sour Cream walked out to the front door. “Sup.”

“Hey, Sour Cream!” Steven said. “How would you… like to DJ for Beachapalooza?” Steven smiled brightly at Sour Cream.

“Yeah. Cool,” Sour Cream responded.

“Great!” Steven said. “I’ll see you at Beachapalooza.” Jade and Steven started to walk away. “Now, who next? Oh, I know.”

Steven led Jade towards the car wash. When they arrived Steven saw his father lounging by the entrance. Greg noticed them approach and stood up to meet them. “Hey kiddo,” he said. “What are you doing here?”

“Mr. Smiley asked me to find acts for Beachapalooza. I was wondering if you would like to perform.”

“I don’t know,” Greg said. “I haven’t done it in a while and-”

“Awe, please?” Steven asked as he flashed his puppy dog eyes.

Greg looked into Steven’s eyes and slowly lost his resolve. “Alright. I’ll play one of my new songs,” Greg said as he struck a rocker pose.

Steven and Jade walked around town looking for other acts. After a couple hour, they returned to Mr. Smiley at Funland. ”Alright,” Steven said. “Let’s go over everything. Sour Cream said he could DJ. My dad said he would perform one of his songs. Jade said she would dance. And of course I’ll sing as well.” Just then Steven’s phone started ringing. “Hold on a second,” he said as he answered. “Hello!” Steven sung. “Oh I’m just putting together acts for Beachapalooza. Uh-huh. Of course. Sure thing.” Steven hung up the phone. “Connie said she would like to play violin for Beachapalooza.”

“Alright,” Mr. Smiley said. “Thanks for the help Steven.”

“You’re welcome,” Steven said.

Steven and Jade headed back to the temple. “I’m gonna head back to the temple to practice my dance,” Jade said as she waved to Steven.

Steven headed into The Big Donut and waved to Lars and Sadie. “Hey guys,” Steven said. “You going to Beachapalooza tomorrow?”

“That lame show. Pass,” said Lars.

“Awe, come on,” Steven said. “It’s gonna be fun. My dad and I are singing. Plus, Sour Cream is DJ-ing.”

“That sounds fun,” Sadie said. “Come on Lars. I think we could have a lot of fun.”

Lars blushed. “Yeah, ok. I guess we can…”

“Great!” Steven shouted. “I’ll see you guys there.”

 

* * *

 

Steven walked down to the beach with Jade. The sun was beginning to set over the horizon. The stage was set up and people were starting to arrive. Mr. Smiley was standing on stage, preparing to announce the first act. Sour Cream took the stage.

Steven met up with Connie and Greg. “You guys ready.” Both of the others nodded. “Wow. A lot of people showed up this year.”

“I’m not gonna lie,” Connie said. “I am a little nervous.”

“Don’t be, Connie,” Steven said. “You’ll do great.”

Steven walked around to meet all the people who showed up until he saw Lars and Sadie. “Hey guys!” Steven said. “Glad you came.”

“Meh,” Lars said.

“So are we,” Sadie said as she punched Lars’ arm. “Come on Lars let’s dance.”

“I’ll pass,” Lars said.

“What? Lars! Come on.”

Steven stepped back before things got tense. He headed back to the stage. His dad was performing a couple songs from the album he was working on. After, Connie went up to perform her piece. Then, Steven was called on stage to sing his song. As he was singing and playing his ukulele, he could see Lars and Sadie standing next to each other with their arms crossed. After his set, Steven walked over to his dad and Connie.

“Why do they always have to fight?” Steven asked.

“Who?” Greg asked.

“Lars and Sadie,” Steven answered. “I thought maybe if they came here, they would have a good time. Wait I have an idea. Follow me.”

The three walked up to the stage as Jade was finishing her dance. Steven could see Lars and Sadie were still mad. “Mr. Smiley, could we go on again?”

“Sure!” he responded.

“Ok guys,” Steven said. “Follow my lead.” Connie and Greg followed Greg on stage. They all began playing their instrument and Steven began singing. After a few moments Steven walked towards Connie. “Dance with me,” Steven whispered.

“What?” Connie said surprised.

Steven could tell she was nervous. He reached out his hand and Connie took it tentatively. Steven pulled her in. Greg continued a wicked guitar solo as Connie and Steven danced on stage. With a flash, Steven and Connie fused together and Stevonnie stood in their place. They continued dancing as everyone marveled at their form. Stevonnie jumped out into the crowd, as everyone made room for them. They danced around the beach, pulling people in to join them. They made their way over to Lars and Sadie. Stevonnie reached out their hands and grabbed the two donut workers. They pulled Lars and Sadie into the crowd and began to dance again. Given no other choice, Lars and Sadie began to dance awkwardly. Stevonnie made their way back on stage and defused as Greg finished the song.

The three exited the stage as Sour Cream went back on to continue DJ-ing. Steven looked over at Lars and Sadie and saw the two dancing. Sadie’s head was resting on Lars’ chest, and Lars was smiling. “Good job, Steven,” he said to himself.


	7. Syncronize

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tanzanite helps the Crystal Gems understand the true power of fusion.

“Alright you Crystal Gems!” Rubellite screamed. “Let’s see what you got!”

Steven looked around the beach. Rubellite and Azurite had suggested a special training for the Crystal Gems. Over the past couple of days, they had been talking with Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl about fusion.

Garnet nodded to the others. Pearl and Amethyst began their dance. As they moved in, Garnet spun towards the center. Garnet grabbed the others and pulled them in. Their bodies glowed green as they merged into one and grew. Alexandrite’s features appeared as the Crystal Gems became one.

“Not bad,” Rubellite said. “But I’ve seen better. This form is too unstable. In a longer battle, Alexandrite will drain you all of your energy and surely lead to your defeat.” Rubellite reached up to her head and pulled out her sword. Alexandrite quickly pulled out her war hammer. Rubellite rushed Alexandrite, easily dodging the hammer. She raised her sword and jumped up to split Alexandrite in half. With a crash, Alexandrite’s form broke and fizzled out.

Azurite addressed the Crystal Gems. “To begin this lesson, we must start by focusing on each other. To create a stable fusion, all Gems involved must be able to perfectly synchronize with each other.”

Rubellite and Azurite took each other’s hands and pulled in close to each other. They stepped back and circled each other. Azurite pulled Rubellite in and lifted her into the air. With a spin, the two flashed together and rose to form Tanzanite.

“Like so,” Tanzanite said. “Now, I know it can be difficult to match your partner’s moves. It took me several years to perfect my dance. But as Rubel and Azure grew closer, it became easier to be me. And, I became more stable.”

The Crystal Gems looked at Tanzanite with fascination. Garnet gazed at Tanzanite with a knowing look. Steven raised his hand and Tanzanite nodded. “Wait, so did you used to have four arms and four eyes?” he asked.

Tanzanite chuckled. “Actually, long ago I did have four arms.” Tanzanite’s arms glowed purple and split into four arms. She posed a couple times before remerging her arms and smiling at Steven. “However, I only ever had two eyes. Same as… Opal. Correct?”

“That’s correct,” Pearl said.

“If that’s true, Opal may be easier to stabilize than the other fusions,” Tanzanite said. “Hmm. Then that means… Yes! Alright, I’ve made my decision. Amethyst and Garnet, step forward.” The two stepped up closer to Tanzanite. “We’re gonna start with Sugilite.”

“Awe yeah!” Amethyst cheered.

“What?!” Pearl yelled. “But why? You said it yourself. Opal is already more stable. Why wouldn’t we start there?”

Tanzanite crouched down next to Pearl. “That’s exactly why we need to start with someone else. If you three wish to stabilize Alexandrite, you need to stabilize your most volatile fusion. Don’t worry Pearl. We’ll get to you soon.” Tanzanite rubbed Pearls shoulder to try and comfort her.

Tanzanite stood and turned to face Amethyst and Garnet. Amethyst looked extremely excited. “Now for you two. First off, Amethyst calm down. Too much excitement can over-energize a fusion and unbalance it. To start with both of you breathe in and out. Match your breath to each other. This is the first step to synchronization. Next turn to face each other. Before we continue I want you to show me how you would normally fuse, but don’t make contact. Just focus on each other.”

Garnet and Amethyst started their normal routine. Both had relatively loose moves that showed off their unique style. As they drew closer, Tanzanite could see them moving in step with each other. But, their moves were more erratic and did not match. Tanzanite pondered something for a moment as they completed their dance.

“That was a good first attempt you two. However, I noticed a few movements that were out of place. You two have very unique dance styles, which is understandable. However, you must be able to move in tandem if you wish to stabilize your fusion. Now, this time I want you to watch each other’s movements. As you continue to dance, notice the rhythm of the other’s moves. Try to adapt your movements to match theirs.”

Tanzanite watched as Garnet and Amethyst practiced over and over. It wasn’t until the seventh attempt that the two were able to move in sync. “Excellent, you two,” Tanzanite said. “I think you’re ready. Show me what you’ve learned.”

Amethyst and Garnet faced each other. A look of determination was pasted on both of their faces. The two began to move. They mirrored each other as they moved closer together. They both grabbed their hips as they swayed back and forth. Amethyst reached out and Garnet grabbed her hand. Garnet pulled and Amethyst spun into her. The two moved side to side while Amethyst looked over her shoulder at Garnet. Garnet spun Amethyst around and dipped her back. Their bodies began to glow as the large form began to rise. Before Sugilite could put on her glasses, Tanzanite saw that she still had five eyes. However, as she formed, everyone noticed she only had two arms.

“Well would you look at me now,” Sugilite said. “I must admit, I’ve missed being around. So… What now?” A smirk spread across Sugilite’s face.

Tanzanite drew her sword and shield. “Now we see what you can do. Need I remind you that there are others here and we must exercise restraint?”

Sugilite laughed as she wiped away a tear. “You’re no fun,” Sugilite said. Tanzanite glared at her. “Don’t worry. I won’t hurt wittle Pearly or Steven. It’s just you and me Tanzy.”

Sugilite threw Garnet’s gauntlets in the air and attached them to Amethyst’s whip. She picked up her flail as Tanzanite ran towards her. Sugilite spun around to dodge and swung her flail. Tanzanite effortlessly dodged by jumping back. Sugilite continued to swing her flail and smashed it down on top of Tanzanite, who rolled out at the last minute. Tanzanite stayed low and moved in with her sword drawn. She slashed at Sugilite’s foot. Sugilite kicked at Tanzanite. Tanzanite raised her shield to protect herself, but she was thrown back by the force of the attack. Sugilite jumped up to body slam Tanzanite. As Sugilite dropped down towards the ground, Tanzanite flipped back to evade the massive body.

Tanzanite raised her sword. “You’re doing excellent Sugilite. Very much in control and powerful. You are a long ways from being totally stable, but this is an important step forward. I think we are done for now.” Tanzanite lowered her sword. Sugilite released her flail and flashed back to Garnet and Pearl.

“Wow!” Steven said. “You guys did great!” Steven was very happy for his friends but as he looked over, he could see Pearl was a little upset. Pearl shok her head as she headed back to the temple.

“Thanks, Steven!” Amethyst said. “So Garnet does this mean Sugilite is O-fficially unbenched?”

“We worked well Amethyst. I think it’s time we added Sugilite back to the roster.”

“Wa-hoo!” Amethyst said as she rolled back towards the temple.

Tanzanite chuckled at Amethyst’s excitement. “You know, Steven,” she said. “I think you should practice your fusion as well.”

“With Connie?” he asked.

“With the Crystal Gems.”


	8. Gem Lab 101

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tanzanite tells the tale of how Rubellite and Azurite were made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has been split into two parts. I have tried to keep each chapter at about 1,000 words. However, since this chapter has already exceeded that and I'm only half way done, I will be posting it in two parts. The second part will be called Gem Lab 102, though I am still considering it part of this "episode."

“We need to talk,” Garnet said.

 

Tanzanite sighed as she looked over at Garnet.  “Are you sure you want the answers you’re looking for?”

 

“Hmm,” Garnet said as she thought.  “No.  But we need to know.  Steven why don’t you go outside.”

 

“I think he should hear this Garnet,” Tanzanite said.  “I know you just want to protect him, but there are somethings he cannot be protected from.”

 

“Yeah, come on Garnet,” Steven said.  “I wanna hear this.”

 

Steven looked up at Garnet with his puppy dog eyes.  Garnet stared back for several seconds before cracking.  “Fine.”

 

Everyone turned to face Tanzanite, except Amethyst who just rolled over from where she was laying on the counter.

 

“If you all remember, Rubellite and Azurite were manufactured in a lab on Homeworld,” Tanzanite began.  Everyone nodded in agreement.  “They were created for White Diamond.  She wanted to fuse pieces of different Gems together to create a better Gem capable of leading her subjects on other Colonies.  White Diamond used the fusion experiments on Earth to begin her research.  Taking shards of other shattered Gems, she continued the experiments.  Overtime she developed new ways to combine shards, until she created the synthesizer.”

 

* * *

 

Several Gems stood in a dimly lit room working at many different machines with various functions.  At the back a tall Gem sat in the shadows with her head down.  A beep alerted the Gems to a machine in the center of the room.  The Gems closed around the machine as one input a code into the display.  A latch on the top released and a panel opened.  One of the Gems reached in and pulled out a cooling stone from inside the machine.  The Gem was in the shape of a prolate spheroid.

 

“My diamond,” one of the Gems said as she approached the sitting figure and presented the Gem.  “Experiment S-011A is complete.”

 

The giant, spiky-haired Gem looked up at the scientist.  She pulled up a screen from her chair and looked at the display.  “Experiment S-011A,” she said as she clicked on the screen.  “It says here this is the experiment that was made by combining shard from a Ruby, a Carnelian, a Topaz, a Citrine, and small traces of other Gems meant to amplify its intelligence.”

 

“That is correct my diamond.”

 

“Very well,” White Diamond said.  “Place it over on the stand.  We will wait for it to emerge.  What about the other experiments incubating?”

 

One of the other Gems stepped up.  “Experiment S-011B is coming along nicely.  It should finished the incubation process shortly.  Experiment S-010D was put down three hours and 17 minutes ago after its form dissipated and regenerated incorrectly.  Results from that experiment show that the synthesis process is working more effectively.  S-010D lasted longer than all previous experiments: 37 hours and 4 minutes.”

 

White Diamond glared at the other Gems.  “Three days is nothing.  I expect more from these next experiments!”

 

The Gems looked up at White Diamond fearfully.  They could all hear the anger in her tone.  The Gems in this lab had been working for the last couple thousand years trying to create a perfect Gem experiment, with marginal success.  Only seven of the experiments created on Homeworld were capable of intelligence, and of them only two had survived longer than 24 hours.  White Diamond had become increasingly frustrated with the lack of results.  Originally, Yellow Diamond had begun the fusion experiments to create a massive geo-weapon.  White Diamond had other plans.  She was interested in creating new, actual Gems, not mindless abominations.  Now, she was starting it fear it was impossible.

 

“I’m sorry my Diamond,” the Gem said as she shook.  “We have more bad news.  Experiment S-011C failed to complete its synthesis cycle.  We lost all the shards from that experiment.  We fear there may be a problem with the synthesizer.  We had to postpone S-011D.”

 

White Diamond looked down at the Gems with a fury in her eye.  The Gems looked down at the ground, too terrified to make eye contact with White Diamond. White Diamond scanned the room looking over her scientists until a bright light pulled her attention to the stand.  The latest experiment was rising in the air as it struggled to take its form.  The Gems looked in in hopeful wonder as the new Gems formed four distinct limbs.  Its hair flowed out to a short, even pixie cut.  As she stood on the ground, her glow faded and she stood in the standard bodysuit for White Diamond’s subjects.

 

White Diamond smirked as she cocked her head.  This was the first experiment to successfully take its proper form.  All previous experiments had rejected the basic programing set by the synthesizer.  A cheer resounded in the room as White Diamond marked a few notes on her screen.

 

Another beep silenced the crowd as they turned to look at the other incubator.  One of them approached and released the other experiment.  “My Diamond.  Experiment S-011B has finished incubating,” she said as she pulled out the other Gem.

 

White Diamond pulled up the file and read it aloud.  “Experiment S-011B: Synthesized from shards taken from a Lapis Lazuli, a Jasper, a Peridot, and… a Rose Quartz.”

 

* * *

 

“Wait a minute,” Steven said.  “Azurite was made with a Rose Quartz?”

 

Tanzanite smiled slightly down at Steven.  “Yes, Steven.  Rose Quartz are incredibly rare.  It’s also rare for one to be shattered.  So when one was they used part of it to create part of me.  The goal when making Azurite was to create a compassionate leader who could tune in to the needs of her crew.  That is why they used Rose Quarts when making her.  For Rubellite, they wanted an expert strategist that could plot out a plan to defeat any foe and lead Gem-kind to victory.  What they didn’t know was that they had the potential to create the greatest leader to ever exist.”

 

“Who?” Steven asked all starry eyed.

 

Tanzanite smiled warmly at Steven.  “Me.”


End file.
